NFL Power Rankings: October 30, 2014

Four straight wins, all by at least two touchdowns, sets the Broncos up for a meeting with New England. Getting quality play out of relative newcomers WR Emmanuel Sanders and RB Ronnie Hillman, the latter who has taken over for an injured Montee Ball and been productive in the role.

Key Injuries: RB Montee Ball (groin), OLB Danny Trevathan (knee).

Suddenly, the Patriots once again have a formidable offence that can march up and down the field, dropping 51 points on the Bears, and getting 86 yards on the ground from RB Jonas Gray, an undrafted rookie out of Notre Dame.

Key Injuries: C Ryan Wendell (knee), RB Stevan Ridley (knee), ILB Jerod Mayo (knee).

A rude awakening in Pittsburgh, where the Colts found out that their defence wasn't so great, getting shredded by Ben Roethlisberger for six touchdowns and 522 passing yards. Good news for the Colts, when it comes to the rankings, is that other top teams were losing last week too.

Key Injuries: RG Donald Thomas (quadriceps), DE Fili Moala (knee), OLB Robert Mathis (suspension/Achilles), S Delano Howell (neck), DE Arthur Jones (ankle), ILB Jerrell Freeman (hamstring), CB Darius Butler (ankle).

Getting taken down by the Broncos isn't the end of the world, but does show that the Chargers still have a gap to close, both at the top of the AFC West and in these humble rankings.

Key Injuries: C Nick Hardwick (neck), RB Ryan Mathews (knee), RB Donald Brown (concussion), CB Shareece Wright (knee).

There's been lots of talk about RB DeMarco Murray being the league MVP, but his candidacy could get a real push if the Cowboys have to go forward without QB Tony Romo for any length of time.

Key Injuries: ILB Sean Lee (knee), OLB Bruce Carter (thigh), OLB Justin Durant (biceps).

Came close to stealing a win in Arizona, with QB Nick Foles throwing for 411 yards, but after all the early-season escapes, the Eagles were probably due for one to fall short.

Key Injuries: C Jason Kelce (hernia), OLB Mychal Kendricks (calf), RG Evan Mathis (knee).

Needed an 80-yard touchdown drive, finishing in the final minute, to take a 13-9 decision at Carolina. Better than losing, but not the kind of performance that screams, "The Champs are back!"

Key Injuries: TE Zach Miller (ankle), C Max Unger (foot), MLB Bobby Wagner (foot).

After getting drilled by Denver, a week off followed by a home date against St. Louis isn't the worst way to get back on track.

Key Injuries: DT Glenn Dorsey (bicep), RT Anthony Davis (hamstring), ILB Patrick Willis (toe), G Mike Iupati (concussion).

An offensive pass interference penalty negated what would have been a winning score in the final minute at Cincinnati and while it hurts to lose both games to a divisional opponent, the Ravens are in every game, with all three losses within a one score margin. 

Key Injuries: TE Dennis Pitta (hip), RT Eugene Monroe (knee), TE Owen Daniels (knee), DE Chris Canty (wrist).

A couple weeks before, against Cleveland, the Steelers -- aside from WR Antonio Brown -- couldn't mount much offensively against the Browns. Then, the Steelers dragged the Colts up and down the field, with QB Ben Roethlisberger enjoying a career day, spreading the ball to nine different receivers.

Key Injuries: CB Ike Taylor (forearm), OLB Jarvin Jones (wrist), OLB Ryan Shazier (knee), NT Steve McClendon (shoulder).

A healthy Carson Palmer threw for 329 yards, connecting with WR Larry Fitzgerald for 160, to get past the Eagles. If they're catching the Cowboys in a vulnerable spot this week, with Romo's health in question, all the better.

Key Injuries: OLB Daryl Washington (suspension), DT Darnell Dockett (knee), OLB John Abraham (concussion), DE Calais Campbell (knee), OLB Matt Shaughnessy (knee).

Even with Aaron Rodgers throwing for 418 yards, before leaving with a strained hamstring, and RB Eddie Lacy gaining 182 yards from scrimmage, the Packers couldn't keep up with the Saints. 

Key Injuries: C J.C. Tretter (knee), DT B.J. Raji (biceps), RT Bryan Bulaga (knee), OLB Brad Jones (quadriceps).

Back-to-back one-point wins are nice - better than losing - but also the kind of narrow victories that flip over time. Getting WR Calvin Johnson back into the offence some time soon could help the Lions fight off some of that expected regression.

Key Injuries: OLB Kyle Van Noy (core), MLB Stephen Tulloch (knee), WR Calvin Johnson (ankle).

The defence is still not where it needs to be, but the first step may be getting the offence firing and the Saints looked pretty good racking up 495 yards against Green Bay. If the offence is capable of that kind of explosive performance, that will ease the pressure on the defence too.

Key Injuries: FS Jairus Byrd (knee).

As QB Ryan Tannehill plays better, it's easier to picture the Dolphins challenging for a playoff spot, because their defence is holding its own. It's just difficult to put too many expectations on the team based on a short burst of quality quarterback play.

Key Injuries: C Mike Pouncey (hip), ILB Koa Misi (ankle), ILB Dannell Ellerbe (hip), RG Shelley Smith (knee), RB Knowshon Moreno (knee).

Dodged a late Ravens touchdown to hold on for a win, and take top spot in the AFC North, for now. Until they get WR A.J. Green back, though, it feels like the Bengals are running in quicksand.

Key Injuries: WR Marvin Jones (ankle), TE Tyler Eifert (elbow), LG Kevin Zeitler (calf), WR A.J. Green (foot).

Even though they couldn't run the ball, the Browns took care of Oakland, taking advantage of three Raiders turnovers and with 275 yards passing from Brian Hoyer.

Key Injuries: WR Josh Gordon (suspension), DE Desmond Bryant (wrist), NT Phil Taylor (knee), DE Armonty Bryant (knee), DE Billy Winn (quad).

RB Arian Foster continues to lead the Texans' offence, putting up his fourth straight 100-yard rushing game at Tennessee. Admittedly, it's the first game in that streak that resulted in a Houston win.

Key Injuries: None.

Four wins in the past five games has the Chiefs back into the playoff discussion and with the Jets up this week, there would seem to be a good chance to keep that momentum moving forward.

Key Injuries: ILB Joe Mays (wrist), FS Eric Berry (ankle), ILB Derrick Johnson (Achilles), WR Donnie Avery (groin), CB Chris Owens (knee).

Playing the Jets is fun! The Bills took advantage of six turnovers and cruised to a 43-23 win, a good way to get over losing their top two running backs.

Key Injuries: MLB Kiko Alonso (knee), OLB Nigel Bradham (knee), RB Fred Jackson (ankle), RB C.J. Spiller (collarbone).

Back-to-back wins, with Minnesota, bye week and Tampa Bay up next. Maybe getting to break even isn't such a farfetched idea.

Key Injuries: QB Robert Griffin III (ankle), CB DeAngelo Hall (Achilles), CB Tracy Porter (hamstring), OLB Brian Orakpo (pectoral).

It seems like the Bears have too much talent to run into this mess, but four losses in the past five games, giving up 51 to the Patriots on the last one, does seem to indicate a problem or two. 

Key Injuries: CB Charles Tillman (triceps), DT Jay Ratliff (concussion), C Robert Garza (ankle), LT Jermon Bushrod (knee, ankle).

Coming off a bye week, preceded by back-to-back losses, the G-Men have three of their next four at home, but the competition is tough: Indianapolis, Seattle, San Francisco and Dallas.

Key Injuries: G Geoff Schwartz (toe), MBL Jon Beason (foot), RB Rashard Jennings (knee), CBTrumaine McBride (thumb).

Nearly pulled out a grind-it-out win at home against Seattle, but close leaves the Panthers winless in their last three games. The good news is that they still lead the NFC South.

Key Injuries: DE Greg Hardy (Commissioner's List), CB Josh Norman (concussion).

An OT win at Tampa Bay ended a three-game slide, but they also needed extra time to score more than 17 points for the first time in four weeks too. 

Key Injuries: RB Adrian Peterson (Commissioner's List), QB Matt Cassel (foot), RG Brandon Fusco (pectoral), TE Kyle Rudolph (sports hernia). 

Head into their bye week with five straight losses, the last a one-pointer in London against Detroit. That's bad enough, worse when they blew a 21-point lead to get there.

Key Injuries: LT Sam Baker (knee), ILB Sean Weatherspoon (Achilles), SS William Moore (shoulder). 

A 27-point loss and two offensive starters done for the year? Safe to say the Rams have had better weeks and going to San Francisco to face a Niners team coming off a bye isn't exactly the ideal bounceback environment.

Key Injuries: QB Sam Bradford (knee), CB Trumaine Johnson (knee), DE Chris Long (ankle), QB Shaun Hill (thigh), WR Brian Quick (shoulder), LT Jake Long (knee).

Give QB Zach Mettenberger credit. He threw for 299 yards in his first NFL start, and showed promise, but rookie quarterbacks take their lumps in this league and that's what the Titans have ahead of them with Mettenberger in the game.

Key Injuries: ILB Zach Brown (pectoral), SS Bernard Pollard (Achilles), LT Michael Roos (knee).

Aside from generating the fewest yards on offence and allowing the most on defence, everything is going great in Tampa Bay.

Key Injuries: QB Josh McCown (thumb), FS Dashon Goldson (ankle).

The Jets' biggest problem has been turnovers -- a league-worst differential of minus-13 -- and while Michael Vick is not necessarily the cure for that, he does add some intrigue for a 1-7 team.

Key Injuries: None.

Rookie QB Derek Carr threw for 328 yards in the loss to Cleveland and now gets to face Seattle, Denver, San Diego and Kansas City the next four weeks. How do you like the AFC West?

Key Injuries: CB D.J. Hayden (foot), OLB Sio Moore (ankle), FS Tyvon Branch (ankle), WR Rod Streater (foot), DE Lamar Woodley (biceps), FS Usama Young (knee).

Another 100-yard game out of RB Denard Robinson and WR Allen Robinson is emerging as the top option in the passing game.

Key Injuries: WR Justin Blackmon (suspension), WR Ace Sanders (suspension), SS Johnathan Cyprien (concussion).